Immediate Outcomes of Standardized Cardiac Surgical Procedures in Elderly Patients: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis of 101 Patients

Abstract

Background. Population ageing is accompanied by an increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, which may develop as a consequence of age-related deterioration of vascular structures. This contributes to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Despite substantial advances in surgical techniques, perioperative care, and anaesthetic management, the appropriateness of performing major cardiac surgery in elderly patients remains a matter of ongoing debate.Aim. To evaluate the early clinical outcomes of cardiac surgical procedures in elderly patients undergoing open-heart surgery through median sternotomy.Materials and methods. A single-centre retrospective observational study was conducted involving 101 consecutive patients aged ≥75 years who underwent cardiac surgery at the Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise Zaporizhzhia Regional Clinical Hospital of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council between January 2023 and March 2026. The mean age of the study population was 77.7±2.83 years. The cohort included 41 women (40.59 %) and 60 men (59.41 %).Results. The median length of stay in the intensive care unit was 3 days. The mean duration of hospitalisation was 17.3±9.1 days. The most common postoperative complications were transient atrioventricular block and postoperative atrial fibrillation. Perioperative mortality was 0 %. Acute cardiovascular failure occurred in 15.84 % of patients; however, none of these patients required reoperation within the first 30 postoperative days. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 8.9 %.Conclusions. Cardiac surgery in patients aged ≥75 years can be performed with acceptable early clinical outcomes. Chronological age alone should not be considered a contraindication to cardiac surgery. Surgical decision-making in elderly patients should be based on a comprehensive individual risk assessment rather than age alone.